Electrical charger for a spinning device

ABSTRACT

There is provided a system that includes a base providing a wireless power source, a rotor situated over the base and configured to spin, and a device coupled to the rotor and configured to spin with the rotor, the device having a display and a wireless power receiver, where the wireless power source and the wireless power receiver are configured to power the device to show an image on the display while the rotor is spinning.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation of U.S. Application Ser. No.15/985,477 filed May 21, 2018, which claims the benefit of and priorityto Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/630,108, filed Feb. 13,2018, and titled “Electrical Charger for a Spinning Device,” which arehereby incorporated fully by reference into the present application.

BACKGROUND

Advances in computer technology and software have made possible thecreation of richly featured virtual characters capable of simulatinginteractivity with a human viewer of the virtual character. The illusionof interactivity can be further enhanced when the virtual character isdisplayed as a three-dimensional (3D) image, apparently independent ofthe display system generating it. For example, a display screen uponwhich a two-dimensional (2D) graphic is rendered may be spun to generatea floating image that appears to be three-dimensional 3D.

One obstacle to use of a system including a spinning device such as adisplay is implementing a solution for recharging a battery powering thespinning device. Conventional solutions for providing electricalcoupling for objects that are spinning utilize slip rings or conductivesprings or pins. However, those conventional solutions may be subject toexcessive wear, as well as add noise to the system, which can besignificantly disadvantageous when the system is a display systemproviding an interactive 3D floating image.

SUMMARY

There are provided electrical chargers for a spinning device and methodsfor their use, substantially as shown in and/or described in connectionwith at least one of the figures, and as set forth more completely inthe claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an exemplary display system including aspinning device, according to one implementation;

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an exemplary display system including anelectrical charger for a device configured to spin, according to oneimplementation;

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of an exemplary display system including anelectrical charger for a device configured to spin, according to anotherimplementation;

FIG. 4A shows a more detailed cross-sectional view of the exemplaryelectrical charger shown in FIG. 2 at a time when the rotor of theelectrical charger is at a standstill;

FIG. 4B shows a top view of the exemplary electrical charger shown inFIGS. 2 and 4A along perspective lines 4B-4B in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method of charging a deviceconfigured to spin, according to one implementation; and

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of an exemplary display system including anelectrical charger for powering a device configured to spin, accordingto yet another implementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description contains specific information pertaining toimplementations in the present disclosure. One skilled in the art willrecognize that the present disclosure may be implemented in a mannerdifferent from that specifically discussed herein. The drawings in thepresent application and their accompanying detailed description aredirected to merely exemplary implementations. Unless noted otherwise,like or corresponding elements among the figures may be indicated bylike or corresponding reference numerals. Moreover, the drawings andillustrations in the present application are generally not to scale, andare not intended to correspond to actual relative dimensions.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of exemplary system 100 including a device 120configured to spin, according to one implementation. As shown in FIG. 1,system 100 is implemented as a display system including device 120configured to spin, and stationary base 140 coupled to device 120 byrotor 144.

Device 120 includes display screen 122 and computing platform 102communicatively coupled to display screen 192, as well as to lightingsystem 132, and audio system 134. As further shown in FIG. 1, computingplatform 102 includes application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 110including central processing unit (CPU) 112 implemented as a hardwareprocessor, graphics processing unit (GPU) 114, and may further includedigital signal processor (DSP) 116. Computing platform 102 also includessystem memory 106 implemented as a non-transitory storage device storingsoftware code 108.

Base 140 includes motor 142 for rotating rotor 144 and device 120, andmotor controller circuit 148 including motor control unit (MCU) 146.Base 140 is situated on surface 150, which may be a floor or any othersubstantially horizontal surface. In addition, FIG. 1 shows horizontalaxis 152 substantially parallel to surface 150, and vertical axis 154substantially perpendicular to surface 150. Also shown in FIG. 1 areusers 130 a and 130 b of system 100 viewing floating image 118 generatedby system 100.

It is noted that although FIG. 1 depicts lighting system 132 and audiosystem 134 as communicatively coupled to, but not structurallyintegrated with, device 120, that representation is merely exemplary. Inother implementations, one or both of lighting system 132 and audiosystem 134 may be structurally integrated with device 120. Thus, invarious implementations, device 120 can include one or more of lightingsystem 132 and audio system 134, in addition to computing platform 102and display screen 122.

According to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 1, device 120 isdepicted to include display screen 122 supported by rotor 144 and base140. However, it is emphasized that the specific features shown in FIG.1 are merely exemplary, and more generally, device 120 may take the formof any electrical device implemented so as to spin during operation andto require periodic electrical charging.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of exemplary display system 200 including device220 configured to spin, as well as electrical charger 264 for device220, according to one implementation. As shown in FIG. 2, device 220 issupported by rotor 244 and base 240 of electrical charger 264, which isshown to include motor 242. Base 240 of electrical charger 264 issituated on surface 250, such as a floor surface or another horizontalsurface substantially parallel to the floor surface.

According to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 2, device 220includes display screen 222 rendering two-dimensional (2D) graphic 228,and further includes battery 258. In addition, FIG. 2 shows chargingsurface 262 of base 240 of electrical charger 264, and charging coupler270 a connected to rotor 244 of electrical charger 264 for providingpower to battery 258 of device 220. In some implementations, as furthershown in FIG. 2, electrical charger 264 may include optional secondcharging coupler 270 b connected to rotor 244 to provide a groundconnection for device 220 (hereinafter “ground coupler 270 b”).

As shown in FIG. 2, in some implementations, base 240 may serve as apower source for charging battery 258 of device 220. For example, base240 of electrical charger 264 may include a voltage converter coupled toa mains voltage. Also shown in FIG. 2 are horizontal axis 252substantially parallel to surface 250, vertical axis 254 substantiallyperpendicular to surface 250, and spin direction 256 of rotor 244.

Device 220 corresponds in general to device 120, in FIG. 1. Thus, device220 may share any of the features or functionality attributed to device120 by the present disclosure, and vice versa. In other words, althoughnot explicitly shown in FIG. 2, device 220 includes featurescorresponding respectively to ASIC 110 having CPU 112, GPU 114, and DSP116, and system memory 106 storing software code 108.

In addition, rotor 244, and base 240 including motor 242, correspond ingeneral to rotor 144, and base 140 including motor 142, in FIG. 1. Thus,rotor 244 and base 240 may share any of the features or functionalityattributed to rotor 144 and base 140, and vice versa. That is to say,although not explicitly shown in FIG. 2, base 240 includes featurescorresponding respectively to motor controller circuit 148 and MCU 146.Moreover, like base 240, base 140 includes a feature corresponding tocharging surface 262 situated thereon. Also, like rotor 244, rotor 144may have one or more charging couplers corresponding to one or both ofcharging coupler 270 a and ground coupler 270 b connected thereto.

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of exemplary display system 300 including device320 configured to spin and integrated with electrical charger 364 fordevice 320, according to another implementation. As shown in FIG. 3,device 320 is supported by rotor 344 and base 340 of electrical charger364, which is shown to include motor 342. Base 340 of electrical charger364 is situated on surface 350, such as a floor surface or anotherhorizontal surface substantially parallel to the floor surface.

According to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 3, device 320includes display screen 322 rendering 2D graphic 328, and furtherincludes battery 358. In addition, FIG. 3 shows charging surface 362 ofbase 340 of electrical charger 364, and charging coupler 370 a connectedto device 320 for providing power to battery 358 of device 320. In someimplementations, as further shown in FIG. 3, electrical charger 364 mayinclude optional ground coupler 370 b also connected to device 320. Alsoshown in FIG. 3 are horizontal axis 352 substantially parallel tosurface 350 and vertical axis 354 substantially perpendicular to surface350.

Device 320 corresponds in general to device 120/220, in FIGS. 1 and 2.Thus, device 320 may share any of the features or functionalityattributed to device 120/220 by the present disclosure, and vice versa.In other words, although not explicitly shown in FIG. 3, device 320includes features corresponding respectively to ASIC 110 having CPU 112,GPU 114, and DSP 116, and system memory 106 storing software code 108.

In addition, rotor 344, and base 340 including motor 342, correspond ingeneral to rotor 144/244, and base 140/240 including motor 142/242, inFIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, rotor 344 and base 340 may share any of thefeatures or functionality attributed to rotor 144/244 and base 140/240,and vice versa. That is to say, although not explicitly shown in FIG. 3,base 340 includes features corresponding respectively to motorcontroller circuit 148 and MCU 146. Moreover, charging surface 362corresponds in general to charging surface 262, in FIG. 2, while rotor344, like rotor 144/244, has spin direction 356 corresponding to spindirection 256.

Furthermore, charging coupler 370 a and ground coupler 370 b correspondrespectively in general to charging coupler 270 a and ground coupler 270b, in FIG. 2, and those corresponding features may share any of thecharacteristics attributed to either corresponding feature by thepresent disclosure. It is noted that the implementation shown in FIG. 3differs from the implementation shown in FIG. 2 primarily in thatcharging coupler 270 a/370 a and ground coupler 270 b/370 b areconnected to device 120/220/320 in FIG. 3, while those features areconnected to rotor 144/244/344 in the implementation of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 in combination, according to theexemplary implementations shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, display screen122/222/322 may be controlled by GPU 114 of ASIC 110, while rotor144/244/344 coupled to device 120/240/340 is controlled by CPU 112 ofASIC 110. CPU 112 is configured to execute software code 108 to render2D graphic 228/328 on display screen 122/222/322 of device 120/220/320.

CPU 112 is further configured to execute software code 108 to spin rotor144/244/344 and device 120/220/320 about vertical axis 154/254/354parallel to display screen 122/222/322 of device 120/220/320 at apredetermined spin rate, which may be on the order of approximately oneor more tens or hundreds of rotations per second, for example. That isto say, the rotor 144/244/344 is configured to spin in a planesubstantially parallel to charging surface 262/362.

According to the present exemplary implementations, device 120/220/320generates apparently floating image 118 of 2D graphic 228/328. As aresult of the spinning of device 120/220/320, floating image 118 appearsto be a three-dimensional (3D) floating image of 2D graphic 228/328 tousers 130 a and 130 b viewing device 120/220/320 configured to spin.

In some implementations, display screen 122/222/322 may take the form ofa liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen, for example. Moreover, in someimplementations, device 120/220/320 may be a mobile communication devicecoupled to rotor 144/244/344 and configured to spin with rotor144/244/344 at the predetermined spin rate. For example, device120/220/320 may be a smartphone or a tablet computer.

According to some implementations, and in order to reduce the inertia ofdevice 120/220/320, electricity for powering display screen 222/322 maybe provided by a relatively small battery included as part of device120/220/320, i.e., battery 258/358. Due to the relatively small size ofbattery 258/358, periodic and even frequent charging of battery 258/358may be necessary. Moreover, in many use cases, it may be advantageous ordesirable to charge battery 258/358 automatically at times when device120/220/320 and rotor 144/244/344 are at a standstill, i.e., are notspinning, without removing device 120/220/320 from rotor 144/244/344 orbase 140/240/340. According to the inventive concepts disclosed in thepresent application, automatic charging of battery 258/358 duringquiescent periods during which device 120/220/320 is not spinning isenabled by charging surface 262/362, charging coupler 270 a/370 a, andin some implementations, ground coupler 270 b/370 b.

Referring to FIG. 4A, FIG. 4A shows a more detailed cross-sectional viewof exemplary electrical charger 464, corresponding to the specificimplementation of electrical charger 264 in FIG. 2, at a time when rotor144/244/344 is at a standstill. As shown in FIG. 4A, electrical charger464 includes base 440 integrated including motor 442 and having chargingsurface 462 situated thereon. In addition, FIG. 4A shows chargingcoupler 470 a including rotor or device mount 472 a, conductive shaft474 a, and contact body 476 a, as well as ground coupler 470 b includingrotor or device mount 472 b, conductive shaft 474 b, and contact body476 b. Also shown in FIG. 4A are rotor 444, power rail 466 of chargingsurface 462 providing a positive voltage, ground rail 468 of chargingsurface 462 providing a ground voltage, and perspective lines 4B-4Bcorresponding to the perspective of electrical charger 464 shown in FIG.4B.

Electrical charger 464 corresponds in general to electrical charger264/364 in FIGS. 2 and 3. That is to say, base 440, motor 442, and rotor444 correspond respectively in general to base 140/240/340, motor142/242/342, and rotor 144/244/344, in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, and thosecorresponding features may share the characteristics attributed to anycorresponding feature by the present disclosure.

In addition, charging surface 462, charging coupler 470 a, and optionalground coupler 470 b, correspond respectively in general to chargingsurface 262/362, charging coupler 270 a/370 a, and optional groundcoupler 270 b/370 b, in FIGS. 2 and 3, and those corresponding featuresmay share the characteristics attributed to any corresponding feature bythe present disclosure. Thus, for example, although not explicitly shownin FIGS. 2 and 3, charging surface 262/362 may include featurescorresponding to power rail 466 and ground rail 468. Moreover, althoughnot shown in FIG. 4A, rotor 444 is coupled to a device configured tospin corresponding to device 120/220/320 in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

FIG. 4B shows a top view of electrical charger 264/364/464 alongperspective lines 4B-4B in FIG. 4A. It is noted that charging coupler270 a/370 a/470 a and ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b are not shown inFIG. 4B in the interests of conceptual clarity. As shown in FIG. 4B,power rail 466 and/or ground rail 468 of charging surface 262/362/462may be implemented as substantially circular respective power and groundrails. As a specific example, charging surface 262/362/462 may beimplemented using a printed circuit board (PCB) having power rail 466and/or ground rail 468 in the form of substantially circular conductivetraces provided by a metallization layer of the PCB.

It is further noted that in some implementations, grounding of device120/220/320 may achieved independently of charging surface 262/362/462,e.g. grounding may be provided via rotor 144/244/344/444. In thoseimplementations, ground rail 468 may be omitted from charging surface262/362/462, and ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b may be omitted aswell. Furthermore, in some implementations, as shown in FIG. 3, chargingcoupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and/or ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b may beconnected to or integrated with device 120/220/320, e.g. at right and/orleft bottom surfaces or corners of device 120/220/320, rather than beingconnected to rotor 144/244/344/444.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the substantially circular conductive tracesproviding power rail 466 and ground rail 468 may be concentric withrotor 144/244/344/444. As shown by the combination of FIGS. 4A and 4B,the circular conductive trace providing power rail 466 may be positionedon charging surface 262/362/462 such that contact body 476 a of chargingcoupler 270 a/370 a/470 a makes electrical contact with power rail 466when rotor 144/244/344/444 and device 120/220/320 are at a standstill,i.e., not spinning. As further shown by the combination of FIGS. 4A and4B the circular conductive trace providing ground rail 468 may bepositioned on charging surface 262/362/462 such that contact body 476 bof ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b makes electrical contact with groundrail 468 when rotor 144/244/344/444 and device 120/220/320 are notspinning.

According to the implementations shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4A, chargingcoupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b areelectrically coupled to battery 258/358 via electrical connectionsinternal to rotor 144/244/344/444 and/or device 120/220/320. Conductiveshaft 474 a may be formed so as to include a metal, a metal alloy, orany other suitable conductive material for electrically coupling contactbody 476 a with the electrical connections internal to rotor144/244/344/444 or device 120/220/320. Conductive shaft 474 a may becoupled to rotor or device mount 472 a by a hinged coupling or bearingenabling conductive shaft 474 a to move freely up and down in thedirection of axis 154/254/354 and/or from side to side in the directionof axis 152/252/352, in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. Contact body 476 a iselectrically coupled to, and may be rigidly mechanically coupled toconductive shaft 474 a. Contact body 476 a may be formed of a metal, ametal alloy, or any other suitably electrically conductive material.

Similarly, conductive shaft 474 b may be formed so as to include ametal, a metal alloy, or any other suitable conductive material forelectrically coupling contact body 476 b with the electrical connectionsinternal to rotor 144/244/344/444 or device 120/220/320. Conductiveshaft 474 b may be coupled to rotor or device mount 472 b by a hingedcoupling or bearing enabling conductive shaft 474 b to move freely upand down in the direction of vertical axis 154/254/354 and/or from sideto side in the direction of axis 152/252/352, in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.Contact body 476 b is electrically coupled to, and may be rigidlymechanically coupled to conductive shaft 474 b. Contact body 476 b maybe formed of a metal, a metal alloy, or any other suitably electricallyconductive material.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when rotor 144/244/344/444 and device120/220/320 are spinning in a plane substantially parallel to chargingsurface 2621362/462 at or more than a predetermined spin rate, theforces resulting from the centripetal acceleration experienced bycharging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 bcause contact bodies 476 a and 476 b to be lifted up and off of chargingsurface 262/362/462, thereby breaking their electrical contacts withrespective power rail 466 and ground rail 468. That lifting up and offof charging surface 262/362/462 is further enabled by the freedom byconductive shafts 474 a and 474 b to move in the direction of verticalaxis 154/254/354 and/or horizontal axis 152/252/352.

As shown in FIG. 4A, when rotor 144/244/344/444 and device 120/220/320are spinning at less than the predetermined spin rate, or are notspinning and are at a standstill, gravity causes contact bodies 476 aand 476 b to be automatically lowered onto charging surface 262/362/462,thereby making electrical contact with respective power rail 466 andground rail 468. That lowering of contact bodies 476 a and 476 b ontocharging surface 262/362/462 is also further enabled by the freedom byconductive shafts 474 a and 474 b to move in the direction of verticalaxis 154/254/354 and/or horizontal axis 152/252/352. In other wordscharging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 bare configured to make electrical contact with charging surface262/362/462 when rotor 144/244/344/444 is not spinning and to breakelectrical contact with charging surface 262/362/462 after rotor144/244/344/444 begins to spin.

FIG. 5 shows flowchart 580 of an exemplary method of charging a deviceconfigured to spin, according to one implementation. With respect to themethod outlined in FIG. 5, it is noted that certain details and featureshave been left out of flowchart 580 in order not to obscure thediscussion of the inventive features in the present application.

Referring to FIG. 5 in combination with FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4A, and 4B,flowchart 580 begins with placing rotor 144/244/344/444 of electricalcharger 264/364/464 at a standstill (action 582). It is noted that theinventive principles disclosed in the present application are applicableto charging a wide variety of devices configured to spin. However, forexemplary purposes, and in the interests of conceptual clarity, themethod of flowchart 580 will be described by reference to a specific usecase in which device 120/220/320 configured to spin includes displayscreen 122/222/322 coupled to rotor 144/244/344/444 and configured tospin with rotor 144/244/344/444 in a plane substantially parallel tocharging surface 262/362/462.

As noted above, in some implementations, CPU 112 of ASIC 110 may beconfigured to execute software code 108 to spin rotor 144/244/344/444and device 120/220/320 about vertical axis 154/254/354 parallel todisplay screen 222/322 of device 120/220/320 at a predetermined spinrate, which may be on the order of approximately one or more tens orhundreds of rotations per second, for example. Moreover, in thoseimplementations, rotor 144/244/344/444 may be selectively placed at astandstill by software code 108, executed by CPU 112.

Flowchart 580 continues with placing charging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 aand or optional ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b in contact withcharging surface 262/362/462 of base 140/240/340/440 to charge battery258/358 when rotor 144/244/344/444 is at the standstill, whereincharging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and or optional ground coupler 270b/370 b/470 b is/are connected to rotor 144/244/344/444, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 4A (action 584). As noted above, charging coupler 270 a/370a/470 a and or optional ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b may makecontact with charging surface 262/362/462 automatically, when rotor144/244/344/444 is at a standstill, due to the force of gravity oncontact body 476 a and/or 476 b.

Flowchart 580 continues with spinning rotor 144/244/344/444, where rotor144/244/344/444 is situated over charging surface 262/362/462, and whererotor spins 144/244/344/444 in a plane substantially parallel tocharging surface 262/362/462 (action 586). As noted above, spinning ofrotor 144/244/344/444 may be performed by software code 108, executed byCPU 112 of computing platform ASIC 110, and using motor 142/242/342/442.

Flowchart 580 can conclude with breaking the contact between chargingcoupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and or optional ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470b and charging surface 262/362/462 in response to the spinning of rotor144/244/344/444 (action 588). Charging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and oroptional ground coupler 270 b/370 b/470 b may break contact withcharging surface 262/362/462 automatically when rotor 144/244/344/444 isspinning, due to forces resulting from the centripetal accelerationexperienced by charging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and/or optional groundcoupler 270 b/370 b/470 b causing contact bodies 476 a and/or 476 b tobe lifted up and off of charging surface 262/362/462.

It is noted that, in some implementations, before breaking the contactbetween charging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and or optional groundcoupler 270 b/370 b/470 b and charging surface 262/362/462, electricalcharger 264/364/464 may advantageously maintain the contact betweencharging coupler 270 a/370 a/470 a and or optional ground coupler 270b/370 b/470 b and charging surface 262/362/462 while spinning rotor144/244/344/44 at less than a predetermined spin rate.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of exemplary display system 600 including device620 configured to spin and integrated with electrical charger 664 fordevice 620, according to yet another implementation. As shown in FIG. 6,device 620 is supported by rotor 644 and base 640 of electrical charger664, which is shown to include motor 642. Base 640 of electrical charger664 is situated on surface 650, such as a floor surface or anotherhorizontal surface substantially parallel to the floor surface, andincludes top surface 690.

According to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 6, device 620includes display screen 622 rendering 2D graphic 628, and may furtherinclude optional battery 658. In addition, FIG. 6 shows wirelesscharging or power source 692 provided by base 640 of electrical charger664, and wireless power receiver 694 connected to device 620. Also shownin FIG. 6 are horizontal axis 652 substantially parallel to surface 650and top surface 690 of base 640, and vertical axis 654 substantiallyperpendicular to surface 650 and top surface 690 of base 640.

Device 620 corresponds in general to device 120/220/320, in FIGS. 1, 2,and 3. Thus, device 620 may share any of the features or functionalityattributed to device 120/220/320 by the present disclosure, and viceversa. In other words, although not explicitly shown in FIG. 6, device620 includes features corresponding respectively to ASIC 110 having CPU112, GPU 114, and DSP 116, and system memory 106 storing software code108. Furthermore, like device 620, device 120 may be connected to afeature corresponding to wireless power receiver 694.

In addition, rotor 644, and base 640 including motor 642, correspond ingeneral to rotor 144/244/344/444, and base 140/240/3340/440 includingmotor 142/242/342/442, in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4A, and 4B. Thus, rotor 444 andbase 440 may share any of the features or functionality attributed torotor 144/244/344/444 and base 140/240/340/440, and vice versa. That isto say, although not explicitly shown in FIG. 6, base 640 includesfeatures corresponding respectively to motor controller circuit 148 andMCU 146. In addition, like base 640, base 140 may include a featurecorresponding to wireless power source 692. Moreover, rotor 644 has spindirection 656 corresponding in general to spin direction 256/356 inFIGS. 2 and 3.

It is noted that the implementation shown in FIG. 6 differs from theimplementations shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4A, and 4B in that wireless powersource 692 and wireless power receiver 694 can be configured to powerdevice 620 while rotor 644 is spinning, as shown by field lines 696transferring power wirelessly from wireless power source 692 to wirelesspower receiver 694. In some implementations, optional battery 658 may beomitted from device 620, and wireless power source 692 and wirelesspower receiver 694 may directly power device 620. However, in otherimplementations, battery 658 may be included, and wireless power source692 and wireless power receiver 694 may power device 620 by chargingbattery 658 while rotor 644 is spinning. It is further noted thatwireless power receiver 694 is configured to power device 620 and/or tocharge optional battery 658 via electrical connections internal todevice 620.

Power for powering device 620 and/or charging optional battery 658 whilerotor 644 is spinning may be transferred from wireless power source 692to wireless power receiver 694 using any suitable techniques forwireless power transfer. For example, in one implementation, wirelesspower transfer while rotor 644 is spinning may occur via resonantmagnetic induction, which does not require contact between device 620including wireless power receiver 694, and base 640 including wirelesspower source 692. According to that implementation, wireless powersource 692 may include a stationary inductive circuit, while wirelesspower receiver 694 may include an inductive circuit in resonance withthe stationary inductive circuit of wireless power source 692, andconfigured to spin with device 620. As a result, in that implementation,wireless power source 692 and wireless power receiver 694 may powerdevice 620 and/or charge optional battery 658 inductively while rotor644 is spinning.

Alternatively, in another implementation, wireless power source 692 andwireless power receiver 694 may be configured to utilize radio-frequency(RF) power to power device 620 and/or charge optional battery 658 whilerotor 644 is spinning. RF power transfer may occur while rotor 644 isspinning because RF power transfer, like resonant magnetic induction,does not require contact between device 620 including wireless powerreceiver 694, and base 640 including wireless power source 692. Inimplementations in which RF power is transferred from base 640 to device620, wireless power source 692 may include a stationary RF transmitterthat beams the RF power using one or more antennas, while wireless powerreceiver 694 may include one or more antennas utilized to harvest the RFpower, and configured to spin with device 620.

In yet another implementation, device 620 includes battery 658, andelectrical charger 664 may be configured to wirelessly charge battery658 while rotor 644 is at a standstill. For example, wireless powertransfer while rotor 644 is at a standstill may occur via non-resonantmagnetic induction, which requires contact between device 620 includingwireless power receiver 694, and base 640 including wireless powersource 692. According to that implementation, for example, rotor 644 maybe retractable into base 640 when rotor 644 is not spinning so as toplace wireless power source 692 in close proximity to wireless powerreceiver 694. Wireless power source 692 may include a stationaryinductive coil, while wireless power receiver 694 may include aninductive coil tightly coupled to the stationary inductive coil ofwireless power source 692. As a result, in that implementation, wirelesspower source 692 and wireless power receiver 694 can charge battery 658inductively while rotor 644 is at a standstill.

According to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 6, displayscreen 122/222/342/642 may be controlled by GPU 114 of ASIC 110, whilerotor 144/244/344/444/644 coupled to device 120/220/320/620 iscontrolled by CPU 112 of ASIC 110. CPU 112 is configured to executesoftware code 108 to render 2D graphic 228/328/628 on display screen122/222/322/622 of device 120/220/320/620.

CPU 112 is further configured to execute software code 108 to spin rotor144/244/344/444/644 and device 120/220/320/620 about vertical axis154/254/354/654 parallel to display screen 122/222/322/622 of device120/220/320/620 and perpendicular to top surface 690 of base140/240/340/440/640 at a predetermined spin rate, which may be on theorder of approximately one or more tens or hundreds of rotations persecond, for example. That is to say, the rotor 144/244/344/444/644 isconfigured to spin in a plane substantially parallel to top surface 690of base 140/240/340/440/640.

According to the present exemplary implementations, device120/220/320/620 generates apparently floating image 118 of 2D graphic228/328/628. As a result of the spinning of device 120/220/320/620,resulting floating image 118 appears to be a 3D floating image of 2Dgraphic 228/328/628 to users 130 a and 130 b viewing device120/220/320/620 configured to spin.

As described above, in one implementation, the present applicationdiscloses a solution for electrically charging a device configured tospin. That solution advantageously enables the automatic charging of thedevice at times when the device is not spinning, i.e., when a rotorcoupled to the device is at a standstill. In another implementation, thepresent application discloses a solution for advantageously powering adevice configured to spin while the device spins. Moreover, all chargingand/or powering solutions disclosed in the present applicationadvantageously provide for powering/charging of the device withoutrequiring removal of the device from its rotor or base.

From the above description it is manifest that various techniques can beused for implementing the concepts described in the present applicationwithout departing from the scope of those concepts. Moreover, while theconcepts have been described with specific reference to certainimplementations, a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognizethat changes can be made in form and detail without departing from thescope of those concepts. As such, the described implementations are tobe considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Itshould also be understood that the present application is not limited tothe particular implementations described herein, but manyrearrangements, modifications, and substitutions are possible withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a base providing a powersource; a rotor configured to spin; a device including a battery, thedevice coupled to the rotor and configured to spin with the rotor; and apower receiver electrically connected to the battery; wherein the powerreceiver is configured to receive power from the power source and chargethe battery using the power when a spin rate of the rotor is below orequal to a predetermined spin rate, and wherein the power receiver isconfigured to stop receiving the power from the power source when thespin rate of the rotor is above the predetermined spin rate.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the power receiver is configured to makeelectrical contact with the power source so as to charge the battery. 3.The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to providethe power to the power receiver using resonant magnetic induction. 4.The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to providethe power to the power receiver using non-resonant magnetic induction.5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured toprovide the power to the power receiver using radio frequency (RF) powertransmission.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source isconfigured to provide the power to the power receiver by making anelectrical contact with the power receiver.
 7. The system of claim 6,wherein the power source comprises a substantially circular power railconcentric with the rotor and wherein the power receiver is configuredto make the electrical contact with the substantially circular powerrail so as to charge the battery when the spin rate of the rotor isbelow or equal to the predetermined spin rate, and to break electricalcontact with the substantially circular power rail when the spin rate ofthe rotor is above the predetermined spin rate.
 8. The system of claim6, further comprising: a ground coupler electrically connected to thebattery, wherein the ground coupler is configured to make ground contactwith the power source when the spin rate of the rotor is below or equalto the predetermined spin rate, and to break ground contact with thepower source when the spin rate of the rotor is above the predeterminedspin rate.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises adisplay screen.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is anobject.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined spin rateis zero.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the power receiver issituated over the power source.